LGNZ Water Summit 2018

Transcription

1 LGNZ Water Summit 2018 James Palmer CEO, Hawke s Bay Regional Council 31 May 2018

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4 Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme Intended win-win for environment and economy: Engineering solution to delivering on objectives of NPSFM in combined project/plan change Address over-allocation of groundwater resource Improve summer low flows for environmental enhancement Increase irrigation security for existing users Fund environmental enhancements, riparian projects, pest control and supported GMP Increase irrigation extent for regional economic development Provide return on capital for ratepayers and therefore no cost

5 Tuki Tuki Board of Inquiry Plan change and RWSS consents sent to Board of Inquiry Independence of HBRC as both regulator and developer Theoretically reduced time but in fact resulted in delays Rushed, adversarial process, limited appeal rights Board challenged by immaturity of NPSFM, evolving science and reconciling competing objectives Rejected Council approach of allowing nitrogen to increase while reducing phosphorus and improving low flows Rejected Council approach of targeting farm planning Required tough nitrogen limits and universal farm plans Arguably scheme was dead at this point, required future plan changes to smooth the way

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7 Reflections Understand risks in outsourcing decision-making from community, (and of being regulator and developer!) Don t rush collaboration, take community on journey even if it slows you down, you have to live together for a long time Don t assume rational, science trumps all values, precaution and non-use values are legitimate and important to community Explaining (litigating) is losing hearts, minds & comms matters Don t assume Good Management Practice will be good enough, regulated land use constraints/change inevitable with limits Understand risks of unintended decisions or compromises Expect litigation and loss of control of outcomes, so front end community buy-in critical to avoid unintended outcomes

8 Greater Heretaunga and Ahuriri Land and Water Plan Change (TANK) Ngaruroro Tutaekurī Ahuriri Karamū

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10 $2m+ investment in groundwater model, with 100m resolution

11 TANK Collaborative Planning Process 30+ stakeholders, all key interest groups, including TLAs, DHB Time and resource intensive since 2012, 40+ meetings Science and economics inputs arrived late, risked momentum Water Conservation Order application by some member orgs Huge science effort, state of environment and scenario modelling of surface and groundwater, interrogated at length Post-Havelock North contamination, bigger focus, stronger source protection approach to drinking water Balancing act between what s achievable and idealism, and role of engineered solutions to anthropogenic pressures Success dependent on willingness to accommodate each other s objectives, make gifts and gains and avoid litigation.

12 Lessons for the future? We need planning processes that bring people out of their corners: Ensure there are shared expectations of what the process can achieve, with what resources, and by when Socialise the science and analysis commission, design, undertake & deliver together especially with tangata whenua Proactively communicate issues, options together Quantify the values need honest conversations to unpack these, identify what s important and what they mean in practice Try to avoid pursuing perfection, focus on what matters most Frame the choices make them clear and practical, less binary and more sophisticated If we do all this then we might generate commitment to finding broadly agreeable solutions with gifts and gains.

13 Lessons for the future? We need plans that are practical, owned and championed: Are ambitious but achievable, defending the status quo not good enough anymore, restoration expected Provide roadmaps for progress over multiple horizons Target and prioritise effort; low hanging fruit & bang for buck Optimise the complementarity of regulatory and voluntary Impose clear requirements & compliance to secure bottom lines Approach issues equitably between sectors and urban/rural Leverage every bit of voluntary effort, and industry advisory capability and influence without champions in the community councils can t succeed and will get the blame for failure If we do all this we might just get there!